Sumitomo idles South African tire plant due to COVID-19

LADYSMITH, South Africa—Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. has suspended production temporarily at its plant in Ladysmith but is keeping all its other tire plants open amid the global COVID-19 crisis.

SRI halted production at the Ladysmith unit due to government orders, the company said. The firm's other tire factories in Japan, China, Thailand, Brazil, Turkey and the U.S. remain in operation, according to Falken Tyre Europe, the Japanese company's sales subsidiary for Europe.

The Ladysmith plant is rated at 1,400 metric tons per month of passenger, light truck and truck/bus tires.

In compliance with a German government's decree, Falken Tyre Europe's office in Offenbach, Germany, has established remote-working where possible and is observing guidance on social-distancing for day-to-day business operations.

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